The business side of photography
This is something they definitely did not teach you in photography school. How do you go to the washroom when you’re doing event photography?
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Pragmatic: relating to matters of fact or practical affairs often to the exclusion of intellectual or artistic matters. Practical as opposed to idealistic.
Left: Gary Borstelmann, aka Gary Sladek, aka the Amazing Sladek, performs at an NBA All-Star game in Toronto, 2016.
Right: Rong Niu, aka Krystal Niu, aka Red Panda, performs at an NBA All-Star game in Toronto, 2016.
This is another view-from-my-office photo.
A pragmatic photographer is more concerned with getting the job done rather than making an artistic statement.
Many people who take pictures with their cellphone camera are pragmatic photographers. They want a photo without any fuss and without much thought.
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At the end of another year, I wanted to thank you for reading this blog.
This site was never meant to be a high-traffic web site filled with advertisements, affiliate links and product reviews. There are far too many other web sites like that.
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Public relations photography is, or at least should be, much more advanced today.
Today I received an unwanted press release from a Toronto public relations company. It was a good example of what not to do especially if you’re claiming to be a professional communications company.
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The Toronto Raptors mascot was born 27 years ago on November 3, 1995. He wears jersey number 95.
Ryan Bonne, the guy inside the costume, got the job with the Raptors just a few months after graduating from university in 1995. You won’t be surprised that he majored in theatre with a minor in sports studies.
It’s not uncommon for the subject of an editorial photo to ask the photographer for a copy of the picture that was published. Usually the person just wants a souvenir photo of themselves.
Imperfections and distractions in family photos aren’t often a big deal and can be easily overlooked. But if a picture is going to be printed large and hung on a wall then you might consider photo retouching to fix any technical errors, remove blemishes and enhance the image to look its best.
A photographer friend recently had their camera gear stolen while shooting a corporate event at a hotel. They put their fully loaded camera bag down for just a couple minutes . . .
We all know to never leave our gear unattended when in public. But that’s often easier said than done.
I use a wheeled case as much as possible not only because it takes the weight off my shoulders but also because it’s easier to secure a wheeled case than an over-the-shoulder bag. A Pelican case or similar is best because there are no zippers and you can lock the lid. Zippers are relatively easy to poke open with a screwdriver, a fork or even a ballpoint pen. Some zippers are made more puncture-resistant than others.
I have several homemade, plastic-coated steel cables of various lengths and matching padlocks. These cables are used on location, in my car trunk and in hotel rooms.
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